Conversation
by jackalope78
Summary: Lydia Martin didn't think anything could be worse than having the entire school body stare at you as though you were crazy after your two day run naked through the woods.


Lydia Martin didn't think anything could be worse than having the entire school body stare at you as though you were crazy after your two day run naked through the woods. As it turns out, having a classroom stare at you with that suspicion confirmed after you have a panicked screaming attack during French is worse.

She comes out of it alone and facing the window, still screaming. She doesn't ever remember exactly what it is that she sees, mostly she remembers flashes of images, and a sense that something out there is coming to destroy her. It's terrifying, and now humiliation has been piled on top of the fear. Awesome.

The teacher says, "Ms. Martin, I think you'd better go see the school nurse." Her voice is laden with concern and a little bit of pity and Lydia hates it.

She holds her head high, refusing to look at the rest of the class, and begins to make her way to the door when another student speaks up, "I think I should go with her, just in case." And it's not just any student, it's Erica. Erica the newly slutted up weirdo. Lydia can tell Erica is giving her a look of sympathy as she convinces the teacher that Lydia shouldn't go alone. As though she had any idea at all what Lydia is going through.

Lydia walks out the door and quickly down the hall. If she goes fast enough maybe she can outrun her helpless feelings, or Erica- she'd settle for Erica. But she can hear Erica right behind her. She turns around to face the other girl, and wow, Erica really is right behind her.

Before Lydia can say anything, Erica gives her a bright smile and says, "Look on the bright side, at least you didn't piss yourself."

"Excuse me?" Lydia has no idea how that even comes close to being a bright side. She decides to ignore it and tells the other girl, "I don't need your help. You can go off to do whatever." Lydia waves her hand dismissively, shooing Erica down the hall. All she wants right now is to be alone to deal with this humiliating aftermath. And also, because when the hallucinations come and she's alone, no one laughs at her afterwards.

"It was a joke. Because," Erica makes vague gestures towards herself then shakes her head and says, "never mind. Derek said we should keep an eye on you. So, like it or not, I'm going to escort you to the nurse's office."

"Derek?" And it's the unfamiliar, and weirdly familiar name, that snaps Lydia out of her stupor.

Erica looks puzzled for a moment and then she laughs, "You don't know. Oh my god, you don't know." She grabs Lydia's arm, spins her around, and starts leading them down the hall to the nurse's office. "You have seriously shitty friends, you know that?"

Lydia stops walking and plants her heels in the linoleum. She is done with people making cryptic remarks she doesn't understand. And how does Erica (the pariah) get to judge her friends anyway, "I do not need your help. And I certainly don't need your condescension. So, you can go to wherever it is you go now that you've slutted it up and leave me alone."

Erica pulls on her arm, and wow but she's strong, "Aww... it's so cute that you think I'll do what you say."

Lydia has to keep walking or risk falling over as Erica half drags her down the hallway, "Who is Derek? And why am I being watched?" And are his eyes red? Does he keep strange blue flowers around? Does he have outlandishly large teeth? But Lydia keeps those questions to herself.

"I told you. Derek wants an eye kept on you. And I think you should ask your bestie Allison exactly what that means. Or her not-a-boyfriend boyfriend Scott. Because I'm enjoying this way too much to explain."

"Bitch" Lydia murmurs under her breath as they approach the door to the school nurse's office.

"Oh, you have no idea." Erica opens the door and half pushes her through it. "I'll be right here waiting when you get out." She gives a cheerful half wave and then shuts the door behind Lydia.

Lydia Martin isn't sure exactly what just happened, but she is sure that she's going to find out. Scott and Allison had better tell her. Especially if they want her to continue to help them see each other. And then maybe the fear of something just beneath the surface will go away. Lydia squares her shoulders and goes in to talk to the nurse, biding her time. The answers she got from the medical establishment were all bullshit and tranquilizing pills, so all she expects here is some time to rest, but now she might have a place to go for real answers.


End file.
